Mankind has had a good innings: people have become physically stronger, average life expectancy has risen in almost all nations, global population has topped 7 billion. But now scientists have issued a dire warning – the only way is down.

In NASA’s first Space Launch System testflight, 13 shoebox-sized satellites called CubeSats will be sent into deep space to learn, among other things, how the environment will affect astronauts on a future Mars mission.

A manned mission to Mars is a little closer after a big move from NASA on Monday. A Super Guppy cargo jet was used to transfer the Orion spacecraft pressure vessel from Louisiana to Florida, where it will conduct a test flight in 2018.

Anyone watching for Santa Claus tonight is more than likely to see a giant space rock. NASA snapped some dashing images of the 3,600-foot asteroid, which will fly close enough to see with a telescope, but thankfully won’t be any trouble for the man with all the toys.

NASA fans have long begrudged Congress for insufficiently funding space exploration, but there was only astonished excitement for lawmakers Wednesday, who proposed budget increases surpassing President Barack Obama’s request by nearly a billion dollars.